


The Problem Case

by luciferinmyhead



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Alpha Allura (Voltron), Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Altean Lance (Voltron), Attempted Abortion, Dehumanization, F/M, Forced Pregnancy, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Shiro (Voltron), Intersex Omegas, M/M, Miscarriage, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Lance (Voltron), Panic Attacks, Power Imbalance, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luciferinmyhead/pseuds/luciferinmyhead
Summary: Shiro is a stern Alpha Commander in the Galran Empire, and, after deca-phoebs of waiting, has at last been matched his first Omega, a defiant, fiesty little half breed named Keith, labelled a "problem case" by the Omega Program. Shiro is determined to make this match work, but, in order to be a better partner for his traumatised Omega, Shiro is going to need the help of a certain Altean Princess, and, maybe, a new perspective.
Relationships: Allura/Lance (Voltron), Keith/Sendak (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 126





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Honour Bound](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23569813) by [Rifa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rifa/pseuds/Rifa). 



> Holy shit I finally wrote a Voltron fic. I was going to write at least a few more chapters before posting but I finished this one and immediately craved validation, so, here we are.  
> This fic was --ripped off-- inspired by Honour Bound by Rifa! It's fantastically written, and I'm completely obsessed with it. Honestly, it's much better written than this lol so if you want that Good Good Angst, I'd suggest you check it out
> 
> Chapter warnings for Dehumanisation and mild violence. This is probably the tamest chapter out of the like,,,24 that I have planned, so buckle up.

Shiro paced his quarters with a nervousness he’d never felt before. He was a Galran soldier, a Commander. He had been to war, had fought in countless battles and gone on missions that nearly caused him to lose his life. 

And yet, here he was, pacing, because he was about to receive one of the highest possible honours for a Galran Alpha. 

He was finally getting his own Omega.

The Galran empire was incredibly strict with its Omegas. They were essential to their society to create new life, new soldiers for the glory of the Empire. But they were in short supply. In deca-phoebes past, the Empire had favoured Alphas for its war machine, and as a result, the few Omegas that were born were often killed as children by Galran soldiers who wanted an Alpha legacy. Now, Omegas were handed very carefully by the Omega Program.

Shiro had done extensive research on the Program when he’d first applied for an Omega. He’d learned how extensive the process was for selecting suitable Alphas, and only those with good breeding and strong bloodlines were approved. When Shiro had been informed that he’d been approved and matched with an Omega, the Alpha had been ecstatic. He’d even applied for leave, and had been given a month. 

That month had begun today. Today, his Omega arrived. 

His pacing was interrupted by a curt knock on his door, and Shiro answered it immediately. 

“Commander Shirogane,” A representative of the program greeted him on the other side. “My name is Kusok. You will be pleased to know that your Omega will be here shortly, as soon as I give the all clear. I expect you’ve made the recommended preparations?”

“Yes sir. I purchased everything on the list.” He nodded to the inside of his quarters, where he’d installed several metal rings into the walls of each room, along with an iron bar cage in the corner to contain the Omega should it present any trouble. 

“Excellent,” Kusok said curtly, and Shiro bristled slightly at the clear disinterest of the official that was responsible for the delivery of  _ his  _ Omega. “Have you read your Omega’s file?”

“I have,” Shiro responded, recalling the file he’d been sent the previous week, which contained an outline of his Omega’s breeding, blood type, whelping history, and medical information. 

“So you are aware that it has been labelled a problem case during its rehabilitation?”

Shiro gave another nod. “Yes sir, I am aware. But I’m confident that I will be able to handle it.”

“Good. Well then, everything seems to be in order here. If you have any concerns, contact me, and I will do my best to assist you.” Kusok handed him a card, and Shiro pocketed it. He waited impatiently while Kusok pulled out his holo-pad, tapped it a few times, then put it away again. 

Barely ten ticks later, two druids rounded the corner of the hallway, escorting a small, cloaked figure between them. Its face was covered, but Shiro could smell it from here. 

_ Omega. _

His nostrils flared as he inhaled the intoxicating scent, breathing it in deep. It was the first time in his life he’d ever smelled an Omega, and for several ticks, Shiro could do nothing but inhale. 

He pulled himself together when the druids reached him, and stepped back so they could bring his Omega inside. The chain used to lead it was attached to one of the rings bolted to the wall. The druids pushed the Omega down to its knees, and with a wave from Kusok, departed. 

Shiro’s attention was pulled from his Omega by Kusok, who was beginning to look irritable. “Unless you have any questions or queries you have yet to voice, I shall be taking my leave.”

“No, I’m fine. You can go,” Shiro told him, impatient.

“Good luck with your Omega, Commander. Vrepit Sa.”

“Vrepit Sa,” Shiro echoed, shutting and locking his door the moment Kusok stepped beyond the threshold. He turned, stepping over to the Omega, and, his hands featherlight, pushed the hood back from its face. 

He felt like the breath was punched out of him as he beheld the face of his Omega. Male, with a sharp jawline and big, gorgeous black eyes. He was a half-breed, Galran and Earthling, according to his file, and Shiro could see the distinction. He had a mop of messy black hair atop his head, and his nose was rather small compared to that typical of a pure-bred Galran. He also had a very small frame, barely bigger than a Galran child half grown. 

Shiro traced the backs of his fingers along the Omega’s short, wispy purple fur several shades paler than Shiro’s. Curious about the rest of his body, Shiro made to remove the Omega’s robe. The reaction was instantaneous, and Shiro barely managed to yank his hand back in time to avoid being bitten. The Omega snarled at him, low and feral, baring his sharp canines. Rankled, Shiro bared his own fangs and snarled back, pushing intimidatingly into the Omega’s space. This only seemed to agitate him further, however, and the Omega snapped his teeth. 

“That’s enough!” Shiro barked, slapping the Omega across the face, who gave a yelp and retreated backwards slightly, though his fangs remained on display. Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed, and tried again. 

“My name is Shiro, and I’m your Alpha now,” He said firmly. “I don’t want to hurt you, but if you don’t behave then I  _ will  _ discipline you, understand?” He was met with stubborn silence, and he growled lowly. 

“I expect you to answer me when I speak to you. Do. You. Understand?”

“Yes!” The Omega hissed, shuffling back away from Shiro as far as the chain would allow. 

_ Good enough, for now.  _ “Good. Now, I  _ was  _ going to uncuff your wrists, but seeing as I clearly cannot trust you to behave yourself just yet, I’ll leave them on for now. I’ll take them off once I feel you’ve earned it.” 

The Omega’s eyes narrowed, one ear twitching slightly. Shiro took a moment to properly observe his body language, trying to decide how to approach him. The first thing he noted was that the Omega’s fluffy ears - a slightly darker shade of purple than the rest of him - were pinned back flat against his head. He smelled of anxiety and distress, and something else Shiro couldn’t quite place. His shoulders were tense, and - was that a tail swishing beneath his cloak?

“Remove your cloak,” He ordered sternly, receiving a hiss in return. “Do it yourself, or I will do it for you.” 

His Omega paused at this, and the smell of his distress intensified greatly. Shiro ignored it  _ (this is common,  _ the book on Omegas read,  _ give your Omega time to adjust to its new surroundings) _ , watching with rapt attention as the Omega slowly shrugged off his cloak. The garment hit the floor, and sure enough, a long, thin tail emerged, swishing anxiously behind him. It had a cute little tuft of fur at the end, which Shiro found rather endearing. 

“Good boy,” he praised, pleased that the order had been obeyed. He reached forward, giving the Omega a warning look when he made to snarl again, and cupped his face in one hand. “Tell me your name.”

Once again, he was met with silence. Shiro sighed. He could play this game. 

“If you’re not going to tell me your name, I’m going to assume you don’t have one, and I’ll pick one myself,” He decided. “Hmm...what about...Adam? No, that’s too plain. ...Akira? Yeah, I like the sound of that. Alright then, Akira-”

“ _ Keith!”  _ The Omega spat, eyes blazing. “My name is Keith!” 

Shiro smirked. “See, was that so hard?” He asked, brushing his thumb across Keith’s cheek. 

Keith let out an indignant huff, and Shiro chuckled. 

“Alright,  _ Keith. _ Welcome to your new home.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, two chapters in two days. I feel like I'm fourteen again *sighs wistfully*
> 
> Chapter warnings for dehumanisation, violence, rape threat, non-consensual touching/bathing, emotional manipulation

Shiro removed the chain attached to Keith’s collar from the wall so he could show the Omega around his quarters. The metal collar wrapped three quarters of the way around his neck, then the last quarter was a length of fine but sturdy chain looped through ringlets where the solid part of the collar ended. The chain shiro held was clipped onto a ring that looped through one of the chain links, and, if he pulled hard enough, the chain would tighten around the Omega’s neck and make it difficult to breathe. 

Shiro had no intention of using this feature of the collar unless he absolutely had to, of course. It was just a safety measure to give him another method of control in case his Omega misbehaved.

He was forced to give a harsh tug on the chain when Keith refused to follow him, and the small Omega jerked forward from the force of it, losing his balance for a moment. Shiro watched as he righted himself, and blew the hair out of his eyes with an irritated huff. Shiro tugged the chain again, gentler, this time, and Keith slowly got to his feet and followed. Shiro rewarded his compliance - however reluctant - with a pat to the head, sighing when the Omega jerked away from the touch. 

“You’ll learn to enjoy it,” he assured Keith. He proceeded to lead the Omega around his quarters, showing him first the kitchen, then the lounge room, bathroom, and, finally, the bedroom. There was a four poster bed in the center of the back wall, which was made neatly with several heavy white blankets with the crest of the Empire in black. Two plush purple pillows sat against the headboard, each similarly emblazoned with a white crest.

To the left was a large closet, containing Shiro’s various identical uniforms, along with his armour, nightclothes, and formalwear. To the right was a large circular window, behind which lay the vastness of space around them. Shiro let Keith gape for a moment, before leading him back out again. 

“Alright, Keith. First thing’s first - you need a bath.”

Keith recoiled, those fascinating black eyes glaring up at him suspiciously. “ _ By myself _ , right?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Shiro scoffed, wondering where in the universe he got that notion. “I’m going to bathe you.”

“Like  _ Hell  _ you are!” Keith snarled, jerking back. “I can bathe myself!”

“Don’t take that tone with me,  _ Omega _ ,” Shiro growled, glaring darkly as Keith made a futile attempt to free himself from the cuffs around his wrists. “I am your Alpha. Refuse me again, and there will be consequences!” 

Keith gave a feral snarl, his fangs gleaming. “Screw your consequences!” He shouted. “I am so  _ sick  _ of people doing whatever  _ they  _ want with  _ my body! _ ”

Shiro’s eyes narrowed, and Keith’s ridiculous statement hung in the air for a brief moment before Shiro’s temper flared. He grabbed a fistful of Keith’s hair, yanking it back harshly and forcing Keith’s chin up. He ignored the pained yelp the action elicited, and gripped Keith’s chin with his other hand, hard enough to bruise. “ _ You listen to me _ ,” he growled, digging his claws into Keith’s cheeks.

“You are  _ my Omega.  _ Your body is not yours, it is  _ mine _ , and I can do  _ whatever  _ I please with it.” He withdrew his hand from Keith’s chin, and slapped him across the cheek. “I can slap you.”

He grabbed onto the chain at his collar and tugged.

“I can choke you,” he growled over the sound of Keith’s gagging. He let go of the chain, and dragged Keith into the kitchen by his hair, throwing him onto the bench and bending him over it, using the weight of his body to pin the Omega down.

“I can mount you. Right now, if I wanted to.” Keith’s defiant demeanor melted away, and the Omega gave a small whimper as Shiro rolled his hips roughly against his ass. They stayed like that for a few ticks, before Shiro let him go, and stepped back. Keith immediately spun on his heel and pressed himself back against the bench, his tail tucking tight between his legs. His eyes were wide and shining with unshed tears, and he was gasping for breath. 

He made eye contact with Shiro for a split tick before averting them, eyes levelling at Shiro’s feet instead. 

_ Good. He’s learning to submit.  _

“But I’m not going to do any of that,” Shiro continued, speaking softly now. “As long as you behave, and do what you’re told. Do you understand?”

Keith hesitated, and for a moment Shiro thought he was going to rebel again. But then his shoulders drooped, and Keith gave a small nod. Shiro looked at him expectantly, and Keith crumpled under his gaze. 

“Yes, Alpha,” he murmured weakly, defeated, and Shiro smiled. “I understand.”

“There’s a good boy,” he crooned softly, moving closer to Keith and gently stroking one of his ears. Keith flinched violently, clearly expecting to be hit, and Shiro continued stroking, attempting to soothe him. “I’m not going to hurt you, it’s okay.” Keith exhaled shakily, unwilling or unable to believe his words. But Shiro was confident that with time, he would learn. 

He continued to soothe his little Omega for another dobosh before he guided him back to the bathroom, his hand resting lightly on the small of Keith’s back. He attached the chain to a ring on the wall, and stepped over to the new bath he’d had installed, one that was big enough to fit both of them comfortably. He turned on the water, letting it fill to the top. Turning back to Keith, he could see the Omega’s eyes were fixed on the tiling beneath his feet, and he was hugging his chest, clearly reluctant to remove the skin tight bodysuit he wore. 

“I’m going to take off your cuffs so you can undress,” he told him softly, gently gripping Keith’s wrists. He unlocked the cuffs, and carefully pulled them away, setting them down on the sink. Keith winced, and rubbed at his wrists as Shiro turned him around. He slowly pulled down the zipper at the back of Keith’s neck, and he felt a shudder run through Keith’s body when he reached the end, just below his waist. He pulled the suit off Keith’s arms, and dropped it down to his feet. 

Shiro inhaled deeply. His Omega was  _ gorgeous _ . He ran his hands down Keith’s sides, marvelling at how soft his fur was under his touch. The tip of Keith’s tail flicked back and forth uneasily, the base tucked tightly between his legs. Shiro grinned, gently pulling it away. Keith squeaked in alarm, and tried to pull it back, but Shiro gripped it firmly in his hand, pulling it up to reveal Keith’s little hole. The Omega let out a pitiful whine as Shiro brushed a finger lightly over it. 

After a tick, he stepped back. 

“Get in the bath,” he ordered, not unkindly, as he began to undress himself. Keith turned to look at him, eyes pleading. When Shiro didn’t relent, Keith curled in on himself, and shuffled over. Shiro finished removing his clothes just as Keith sank into the bathwater. The Omega let out a soft sigh, sinking into the water until it reached his neck. 

“How’s the water?” Shiro asked as he stepped in as well, sitting down on one of the ledges in the bath.

“It’s...warm,” Keith replied, quiet. Shiro hummed in agreement, letting Keith keep to himself for a few doboshes while he washed himself. When he was done, he grabbed Keith’s wrist and pulled him closer, settling the Omega in his lap. Keith let out another one of those adorable little squeaks, and Shiro grinned at him. 

“You are  _ stunning _ ,” he breathed, running his hands up and down Keith’s back. The Omega shuddered again, and Shiro sighed contentedly. He began washing Keith’s body, much slower than he had his own, taking the time to familiarise himself with every inch of him. He traced every curve, every scar, marvelling at the sheer beauty. 

He wrapped an arm around Keith’s waist, tugging him so their chests were pressed against each other. “You’re perfect,” he murmured, mouthing at Keith’s shoulder. “And you’re all mine.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback tiiiime!
> 
> Chapter warnings for dehumanisation, violence, torture mention, non-consensual touching

Keith could hear the muted echoes of soldiers and druids all around him. He could hear the sounds of technology being used, orders shouted, machines built. He’d been surrounded by a cacophony of sound since the moment he’d boarded this ship, and it was utterly overwhelming. But not nearly as overwhelming as the sheer stink of _Alpha_ that permeated the entire place. It was all he could smell after being at the program for so long, surrounded by nothing but betas, and it was enough to make him sick.

One of the druids jabbed at him, and Keith jumped slightly, moving faster. He didn’t have a choice. Bound and blindfolded as he was, and without his Blade, he was defenseless. He had to wait. Bide his time. 

All he had to do was let whoever this Alpha was think he was going to be compliant. Well behaved. If he didn’t give them a reason to distrust him, it would be all the easier for him to find a way to escape, and get back to the Blade of Marmora’s headquarters. Hell, even just an outpost. He had to get back to his team. 

He felt a pang in his heart as he thought of his team. They’d been separated on a mission, outnumbered far more than they’d anticipated. Keith had been quick, though. He’d held off the first wave of galra fighters while Kolivan and Krolia stole the data they’d gone there for, and defended their six as they returned to the ship. But a second wave had him surrounded, blocking his escape. He’d barely heard Krolia’s shouting, demanding that they help him, but Kolivan didn’t wait. He couldn’t. The information they’d stolen was far too important. They’d been forced to leave Keith behind. 

Their ship was barely out of orbit before Keith was taken down, overwhelmed by the sheer number of Empire soldiers. There were hundreds, possibly a thousand, and Keith had no hope of taking them all down alone. He was knocked out, and when he woke, he was strapped to a table. For the next three quintants, Keith was interrogated. And by interrogated, he meant tortured. Nothing that left a mark, though. Mostly electricity. He’d been damn near out of his mind with pain, but still, no matter what they did, they couldn’t get him to speak. 

He was so out of it, though, that the realisation that he wasn’t able to take his meds never even occurred to him until suddenly the Alpha interrogating him stopped, and began to sniff. That was when they’d realised he was Omega, and sent for the Program. They must have forbade the Alpha from harming him any further, because Keith was taken down and thrown into a cell. He’d been left alone for two quintants before being hauled away by the Program for ‘rehabilitation’. 

Keith almost preferred the torture over what he went through at the Program.

The druids stopped abruptly, and Keith almost stumbled forward, his tail swaying to keep him balanced. A door opened in front of him, and Keith’s senses were flooded with _Alpha Alpha Alpha-_

He was shoved forward just as abruptly as he’d been stopped, and, after several steps, pushed down to his knees. He winced as they cracked painfully against the hard floor, but didn’t make a sound. His ears twitched beneath the hood of his cloak, trying to listen to what was being said between the Alpha and the Program representative, but whatever material this cloak was made out of, it kept him ignorant. 

Listening was no use, but there were other ways to busy himself. He slowly swiped the end of his tail side to side over the floor, trying to get a feel of what it was made of. Like before, though, nothing came of it. It felt the same as every other Galra flooring. Hard and plain. He sighed through his nose, letting his tail settle. 

Barely a dobosh later, he felt heavy footsteps coming towards him, and he couldn’t help but tense, his fighter instincts screaming at him for being defenseless, while some other, deeper part of himself he didn’t understand told him to submit. Everything about this situation was unfamiliar, and terrifying. He’d been on blockers and suppressants ever since he’d presented, but now, for the first time in his life, Keith didn’t have that protection, and his body felt foreign to him. 

He jumped when a heavy hand set on his shoulder, his ears pinning back against his head. _Breathe_ , he reminded himself, inhaling deeply. _You’ll be fine. You just have to get him to trust you._

“Well, let’s take a look at you, shall we?”

Keith went rigid. That voice...he knew that voice! Fuck, why did he recognise that voice? His hood was pushed back off his head, and abruptly, the Alpha began to bellow with laughter. 

“Ha! Well, isn’t this just a wonderful coincidence, Blade scum.”

 _Fuck!_ Fuck fuck fuck he’d been recognised! Well, there went his chances of earning the Alpha’s trust. Keith tried not to panic as the Alpha removed his cloak, and shoved him down, pressing his face against the cool floor. His breath came in sharp bursts as a massive hand curled into his hair, gripping it painfully. 

“You know, I suspected you might be Omega, just from your size,” The Alpha purred in his ear, and Keith’s tail flicked restlessly as he fought the urge to tuck it between his legs. “But to think, not only did we meet again, but as my Omega, rather than on the battlefield.”

Keith’s blood went cold. 

“Sendak,” he hissed. 

Sendak laughed, pulling him back up to his knees and roughly removing his blindfold. Keith’s head spun as his eyes adjusted to the light. He stiffened as Sendak circled him, the Commander’s -no, the Alpha’s eyes roamed up and down Keith’s body, protected by nothing except a tight bodysuit issued to him by the Program. Their eyes met, and Keith held his gaze.

_Dammit! I have to stick to the plan!_

Against everything he’d ever been taught, Keith forced himself to avert his eyes, fixing them instead on the wall behind Sendak instead, making sure he could still see the commander in his peripheral vision. The Alpha let out a low rumble, amused. “I see you’ve finally learned your place, Omega,” he goaded, gripping Keith’s chin between his thumb and forefinger. 

“Now, be a good little Omega, and bow to me.”

Keith’s vision went red for a moment, his tail flicking angrily before he managed to school himself. Repressing the snarl caught in his throat, Keith slowly forced his upper body down into as low a bow as he could manage with his hands cuffed behind his back. He glared at the floor, doing his best to ignore the humiliation he felt. 

_Sendak won’t break me!_ He thought, shuddering as Sendak slowly guided the zipper to his suit open. _I won’t let him break me!_

He clung to the thought like a lifeline as his only clothing was taken from him, leaving him bare. He shivered, his thin coat of fur doing little to keep him warm. His tail pressed close in an attempt to cover himself, the end coiling around his leg. He didn’t dare move, unwilling to allow Sendak to see more of him than this. 

But he didn’t really have a choice in that, did he?

Sendak picked him up by his mullet, holding him in the air. Keith grunted in pain, squeezing his eyes shut as his legs kicked uselessly beneath him, struggling to find purchase. But Sendak was _massive_ , twice Keith’s size at least, and even without Keith’s bound wrists, the pureblooded Galra was much stronger than Keith. 

“Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing,” Sendak crooned mockingly, running his claws down Keith’s chest, stopping at his waist. Keith immediately stopped kicking his legs, pressing them tightly together and crossing his ankles as those claws inched lower. “Why would you ever hide such a pretty body under all those Blade scum layers, hmm?” 

Keith couldn’t hold in his growl at that,his eyes straining open to glare at Sendak. “The only scum I see is Empire Scum,” he spat.

He cried out in pain as he was slammed against a wall, his head swimming as stars burst in his vision. 

“You’re going to regret that, you little upstart,” Sendak growled, and Keith’s breath hitched as the Alpha pulled out a knife, pressing the blade hard against his chest and slowly dragging it down. He bit back a scream, struggling against Sendak’s grip. 

_I will not break._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not really happy with Sendak's characterisation tbh, but,,, eh


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warning for dehumanisation, brief mention of violence, aaaaaaand...thats it!

Over the next few quintants following Keith’s arrival, Shiro observed frequent changes in the Omega’s disposition, and how he reacted to the things around him. For the most part, the small Omega was sullen, and despondent. Shiro wasn’t overly happy when he was like this - he wanted his little half-breed to smile, to serve him happily like a good Omega should. But at least it was better than Keith’s  _ other _ reactions. 

When Keith wasn’t acting forlorn, he was lashing out, hissing and growling and shouting. Shiro tried to be patient with him to prevent these reactions, but it seemed anything and everything could set Keith off, and when it happened, Shiro had no choice but to discipline him. He didn’t want to, of course, but there was no excuse for the way the Omega acted, and Shiro could not allow that kind of behaviour to go unpunished. After a particularly troubling incident where Keith had clawed Shiro hard enough to draw blood, Shiro had no choice but to bring out the big guns, grabbing Keith by the hair and pinning him down, once again cuffing his wrists behind his back and chaining him to the wall.

While Keith was chained up, Shiro had retrieved a gag and a blindfold from his closet, and held Keith down while he put them on. The Omega thrashed pitifully beneath him, but Shiro had had enough. He forced him into the iron cage, shutting and locking the door. The cage was small enough that Keith couldn’t even sit upright. 

Shiro left him there overnight, and for several more vargas into the morning before letting him out. Keith didn’t resist as Shiro removed the gag, and then re-did his cuffs so his arms were in front of him rather than behind. 

“I’m going to leave the blindfold on for a while,” he told Keith, the first time he’d so much as acknowledged the Omega’s presence since he put him in the cage. “Do you understand?”

“...yes, Alpha,” Keith affirmed quietly, his voice barely audible. Shiro reached down to pet one of his ears, ignoring Keith’s flinch. 

“Good. Do you understand what you did wrong? Why I had to punish you?” 

Keith let out a shuddering breath. “I attacked you,” he muttered, his ear twitching away from Shiro’s touch. He frowned, petting it again, this time with a little more force. Keith kept still. 

“And you understand why that’s unacceptable?” At this, Keith was silent, and Shiro gave his ear a squeeze. Keith made a small noise in the back of his throat.

“Because you’re my Alpha,” he finally replied, his voice almost lifeless. 

“Good boy,” Shiro murmured, gently cupping Keith’s cheek. “You’re not going to do anything like that again, are you, Keith?”

“No, Alpha,” he murmured. 

“Good. I don’t want to have to punish you again.” Satisfied, Shiro removed the blindfold, watching as Keith blinked rapidly, then squinted, trying to adjust to the light. “The cuffs are staying on. You’re going to have to earn my trust back if you want them off again.”

Something flashed across Keith’s eyes, but the Omega schooled his expression before Shiro could decipher it. He disregarded it as unimportant, but decided to keep an eye on Keith in future for any similar expressions. If the Omega was plotting something, he wanted to stamp it out. Keith didn’t say anything, though, his eyes dropping down to the floor. His ears were still pinned back, just as they had been since the moment Keith arrived, and his tail was oddly still, for the most part. 

Shiro sighed, resisting the urge to run a hand down his face. “Go about your chores,” he instructed, sitting down at his desk and pulling out his holo-pad. “I have work to do. I want my quarters spotless by the time I’m done.”

“...yes, Alpha.” Keith stepped out into the next room, and Shiro was somewhat surprised he didn’t complain about having to take care of his responsibilities with the cuffs on. That punishment must have gotten through to him, though Shiro did feel somewhat bad about how stiff Keith’s muscles were after being cramped for so long. He doubted it would take long before they would start to interfere painfully with Keith’s duties. 

Perhaps Keith would think twice about that next time he considered misbehaving. 

Shiro turned his attention to the holo-pad, scrolling through his communications and responding to them in order of priority. That task alone took over half a varga, and by the time he moved on to the reports he had to look over, he was already sick of it. Which was odd, for him. Shiro usually enjoyed his work, and took pride in his ability to keep everything running smoothly. However, since Keith arrived, he had little interest in his duties, minimal as they were while he was on leave. 

His work wasn’t the only thing that had taken a toll since the Omegas' arrival. Between navigating Keith’s everchanging reactions, and dealing with the fiery temper that was practically unheard of in Omegas, Shiro was getting tired. He’d known Keith was a problem case, but he hadn’t expected his rash behaviours to last more than a quintant or so. He hadn’t taken into account just how stubborn and ferocious Keith was going to be. 

...he began to wonder if perhaps, he had bitten off more than he could chew. He was a  _ Commander _ , he didn’t have the  _ time _ to be constantly dealing with this kind of disobedience, especially not once he returned to active duty. He pulled up Kusok’s contact information, his fingers hovering over the keypad. 

Maybe he should just send Keith back and request a more obedient Omega. It would be in the best interests of the Empire, he reasoned. A less difficult Omega would allow him to give his full focus to his responsibilities, without having to worry about whether or not Keith was going to have a tantrum while he was gone and trash their quarters. Yes. This was the right decision. Keith was just too much. 

And yet. Shiro found he couldn’t bring himself to put in the request. He knew it was the logical thing to do, but… 

He glanced over his shoulder, watching as Keith meandered about the place, tail swishing behind him as he tidied, and he felt himself soften. He couldn’t send Keith back. Keith was  _ his Omega,  _ damn it all. Shiro didn’t  _ want _ a different Omega. He wanted  _ Keith _ . 

“What am I going to do with you?” He muttered to himself. Keith must have heard him, though, and he jerked, ears twitching towards Shiro as he straightened. 

“Did you say something, Alpha?” He asked, those gorgeous black eyes regarding him warily. Shiro shook his head. 

“No, I was just...talking to myself,” he said, turning back to his work. “Continue with what you’re doing.” 

Keith was still for a few moments, and Shiro held his breath until he heard the sound of his Omega’s feet padding over the carpet, returning to what he was doing. 

Shiro exhaled, and forced himself to concentrate on the rest of his work, doing his best to put Keith off his mind. 

Over the next few movements, things got better. Keith was much better behaved, and there were only a few occasions where he lashed out, and even those weren’t nearly as severe as some of his earlier transgressions. Shiro hadn’t needed to punish him too harshly since the cage, and he felt better for it. He felt...lighter. 

The longer Keith went without needing to be punished, the better his mood became, Shiro observed. He slowly became a little less jumpy, and he no longer flinched when Shiro touched him, which Shiro was very pleased about. When he finally mounted his Omega, he didn’t want him to be flinching away. He wanted Keith to enjoy their coupling, so Shiro was willing to wait until Keith was ready to be intimate with him. 

Most Alpha’s would scoff at this notion, claiming that it didn’t matter whether or not the Omega was ready, or wanted it. Shiro disliked that kind of thinking. Keith was going to be his  _ mate _ , and while other Alphas took it for granted, to Shiro, mateship was a sacred bond, that required at least some level of trust on  _ both _ sides. He needed to trust his Omega to obey him, to care for their home, and one day, their pups. And Keith needed to trust that Shiro would, in turn, care for and protect  _ him. _

Shiro was happy to be making some progress with Keith in that respect. Keith seemed to have finally submitted to his role, and was actually doing rather well - well enough that Shiro eventually took off the cuffs again. On one particular day, where Shiro had had little to do except watch his Omega go about his chores, he saw something which made his heart soar. 

The Omega was cooking, following along with a recipe book Shiro had bought for him. He’d prepared the majority of the meal, and taste-tested a portion before putting it into the cooker. 

Keith’s ears perked,  _ finally _ , and Shiro broke out into a grin. 

“Damn, that’s really nice,” Keith muttered to himself, setting the timer on the cooker and beginning to tidy up the kitchen area. Shiro continued to watch him, still smiling as Keith began to quietly hum a tune Shiro didn’t recognise. His tail swayed from side to side behind him, the little tuft of fur at the end occasionally brushing across the small of Keith’s back. 

Now that Shiro thought about it, he’d noticed that a lot. He wondered if it was some sort of self-comforting gesture. 

Not too long after, the timer went off, and Keith pulled the food out of the oven, and split it into two appropriately sized servings. 

“Alpha,” Keith called, not realising Shiro was watching him. “Dinner’s ready!” 

Shiro stepped into the kitchen, sniffing the air. “That smells wonderful,” said, sitting down at the dining table. 

Keith looked up at him, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile for a tick. “It tastes great,” he told Shiro, giving him his plate and cutlery. His ears went back again, nervous. “Well- at least, I think it tastes great, if you don’t like it I’ll make you something else-”

“This is perfectly fine, thank you,” Shiro cut him off gently before the Omega could start rambling, flashing him a smile. Keith let out a relieved breath, his ears settling back upright. He knelt on the floor beside Shiro, setting his plate down on the woven placemat and looking up at Shiro, waiting.

“You may eat,” Shiro assured him, before digging into his own food. The first bite of it hit his tongue, and his eyes went wide. “Keith,” he breathed, “This is delicious!”

Keith smiled, properly smiled this time. “Thank you,” he said happily, and Shiro detected a hint of surprise, like he hadn’t expected to be complimented. He made a mental note to do it more often when Keith cooked. 

“You’re welcome,” Shiro chirped, feeling happier than he could ever recall. They ate their dinner with smiles on their faces. Things were finally working out between them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Allura and Lance!
> 
> Surprisingly, no warnings for this chapter, other than the typical power imbalance between alphas and omegas.

Keith didn’t want to admit it, least of all to himself, but he was incredibly nervous about Shiro returning to work. Which was ridiculous. Keith should be glad that he was finally getting some alone time, without Shiro’s constant, incessant hovering. And, for the most part, he was. He knew that once he figured out a routine for himself without Shiro around to tell him what to do, he would be perfectly fine. He might even be able to get some time to simply relax, without having to be constantly doing something.

But, on the flip side of that…

While Keith would now be getting time to himself, Shiro was returning to his command, which would mean assignments, and duties, and  _ stress _ , which in turn meant that his Alpha was going to expect stress  _ relief _ from Keith. And Keith didn’t know if he could handle it, this time. With the exception of the time Shiro had threatened Keith on the first day, Shiro hadn’t brought up sex once. Keith had never said it aloud, but he was incredibly grateful for it, and, more than that, the lack of pressure put Keith more at ease with the situation. Let him feel a little less hopeless. 

But it was all about to end. The tentative trust Keith had in Shiro, the bond he’d tried so hard to share between them, was about to be rendered obsolete, because Keith  _ wasn’t ready.  _ He wasn’t ready to give that part of himself to Shiro, not yet, but he couldn’t  _ refuse _ his Alpha. He had learned the hard way that doing so would only bring him more pain. If Shiro wanted to mount him, Keith wasn’t going to fight him. But...he wasn’t going to come out of the experience with their bond intact. 

So, yeah. Keith was nervous. Keith was  _ scared _ . He tried not to let it show, getting up early and going about his chores so that Shiro wouldn’t see how shaky he was. If he didn’t do something, he was just going to pace, and then that would annoy Shiro, and Keith really, really did not want to annoy him right now. 

He let out a startled yelp when a hand touched his shoulder, spinning round to see Shiro looking down at him with a frown. 

“Keith? What are you doing?” 

“I- my chores, Alpha,” Keith replied, averting his eyes down to the floor.

“So early in the morning?” Shiro let out a yawn, and Keith shrank into himself. Quiznak, he’d woken Shiro! 

“I’m sorry, Alpha, I didn’t mean to wake you…” His tail swished guiltily.

“It’s fine, I had to get up soon anyway. But...why are you awake already?” Shiro seemed genuinely unbothered, so Keith let himself relax a little. 

“I...I wanted to make a start on my chores, so I was finished before you got back,” he lied quietly. He’d actually been intending to leave one chore unfinished until Shiro’s return time so maybe Shiro would leave him alone and not- 

It wouldn’t matter, anyway. It never did. 

“Oh. Well, alright then. But, in future, start with breakfast.” Shiro said, either not noticing or just not acknowledging how Keith paled as he went back to the bedroom to get dressed. The Omega quickly scampered into the kitchen to fix up breakfast, not wanting to mess up any further and ruin Shiro’s first day back. 

Breakfast was a quick affair, and Shiro didn’t say anything other than a couple of specific chore requests, which Keith of course promised to get done. Then Shiro left, and just like that, Keith was alone. 

Shiro’s first day back was rather unremarkable, at first. His lieutenant, who had been Acting Commander while he was away, filled him in on everything he’d missed during his leave. He praised her on her outstanding work while he was gone, rather impressed with how well she’d taken to the job. He’d have to put in a good word for her should she ever be up for promotion. 

It took some adjusting, of course, to get re-used to the bustle of the cruiser after not leaving his quarters for a month, but beyond that everything was fine. Without his Omega around to distract him, Shiro found himself slipping easily back into his old work habits and routine. 

The first chance he got, he took the time to properly study his schedule for the day, and noticed that he was to attend a highly important diplomatic meeting with… Princess Allura of Altea. 

Interesting. That was...rather odd. He’d been under the impression that Altea was an enemy of the Empire. So why would they be engaging in a diplomatic meeting with the planet’s Princess? Slightly frustrated that he hadn’t been informed about this, he called his lieutenant back over. 

“Baltagh, tell me what this is about,” he ordered. 

“It is...a meeting with Princess Allura, Sir,” he replied, confused. Shiro let out an impatient huff.

“Obviously. Why are we meeting with the Altean Princess? I thought we were still in the process of conquering that planet.”

Baltagh’s eyes widened fractionally. “Sir...were you not informed?”

“Informed of  _ what _ , lieutenant,” Shiro snapped. 

“The- the planet Altea surrendered two movements ago. King Alfor called for a ceasefire, and pledged allegiance to the Empire.” She told him. 

“Why was I not informed?” He demanded, his temper flaring. Baltagh stiffened, but she did not give away any hint of fear. 

“I do not know, Sir. I will get to the bottom of it immediately.” 

“See to it that you do.” 

She saluted. “Vrepit Sa!” 

“Vrepit Sa.” 

Shiro spent the rest of the morning frustrated that such important information hadn’t been relayed to him, but he trusted Baltagh to ensure it would not happen again. When the time for the meeting finally came, Shiro was honestly relieved to be in the quiet of the meeting hall. Present in the hall, as well as himself, were Commanders Thace and Prorok, whose fleets had apparently joined Shiro’s yesterquintant. They were seated at a very long table, and opposite them, sat two Alteans, a man and a woman. 

Shiro sat down at the end of the table - not that he was the head of the meeting, it just happened to be the last seat available - and took a discreet sniff. The female, obviously Princess Allura, was Alpha, which took Shiro by surprise. Alpha females were rather rare, at least in Galrans. What surprised him more, however, was that the male beside her was Omega. Clearly not a fellow diplomat, then. What was an Omega doing here in this meeting? 

The Princess sat with her back straight, her chin up, with her striking white hair pulled up into a bun at the top of her head. The Omega sat up straight as well but kept his head bowed, his short chestnut hair falling over the top of his face, but not enough to hide the blue of his eyes. He noticed both of them had similar eyes, but while the Altean markings on the Princess were pink, the Omega’s were blue.

“Greetings,” said the Princess, drawing Shiro’s attention to her. “I am Princess Allura of Altea, and this is my Omega, Lance.” Her voice was confident, but Shiro could tell from her scent that she was wary. 

“Commander Shirogane,” He replied, eyes flicking briefly to Lance, who, to Shiro’s shock, looked up and met his gaze. Shiro bristled at the disrespect. 

“Princess,” Commander Prorok drawled, clearly eager for the Alteans to give him an excuse for violence. “One would expect a Royal Omega would be better behaved than yours.” 

Allura’s eyes narrowed at the blatant insult, but did not rise to the bait. “My apologies, Commander,” She replied stiffly. “Altean customs regarding Omegas are rather different than yours. He meant no disrespect, but regardless, it will not happen again.” Lance’s eyes dropped back to the table without a word, and Shiro had to wonder again why he was even here. 

After that, the meeting went surprisingly smoothly. They discussed various points of interest regarding the new alliance between their races, and Allura’s role of Altean Emmissery within the Empire. It was determined that she was to remain on Shiro’s ship, which he had no problem with. It was clear to Shiro as the meeting went on that Allura’s true purpose on this ship was as collateral to keep her father in line, though she seemed unfazed by this. 

Shiro was rather impressed by her. 

Once they concluded the meeting, Thace and Prorok returned to their own ships, and Shiro spent the next varga showing Allura around the cruiser, informing her of the areas she did and did not have clearance to be in, and eventually showing her to her quarters, which weren’t too far from Shiro’s. 

“Is there anything else you need to make your stay here more comfortable, Princess?” He asked her, and she tilted her head slightly, an expression on her face that Shiro couldn’t quite read. 

“I think this will do quite well for now, thank you, Commander.”

“Call me Shiro,” he requested with a friendly smile, glancing at the ticker on his wrist. “No need for formalities now that I’m off the clock for the night.” 

She returned the smile. “Is that so? Well, in that case, would you like to join me for a drink to celebrate our alliance?”

Shiro grinned. “I’d love to.” He stepped into her quarters, shutting the door behind him, and sat down in the lounge area on the couch opposite her. Her Omega fetched them each a drink, then settled in beside her as they began to talk.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day! That's a first for me lol
> 
> Chapter warnings for dehumanisation, alcohol mention, oven fire, panic attack

Shiro only managed to last half a varga before he finally caved, and asked about what was on his mind. 

“So, Allura,” he began, taking another sip of his drink. It was an Altean concoction that Allura had brought along, a bright blue liquid that tasted far sweeter than any alcoholic - or even nonalcoholic - beverages created by the Galra. “You mentioned during the meeting that Altean customs pertaining to Omegas are rather different from ours. I’m curious about them.” 

It seemed odd to Shiro that an Alpha, especially one with such high standing as Allura, would let their Omega get away with such disrespect, that it wasn’t even  _ considered  _ disrespect. He wondered what other bizarre things they allowed Omegas to do. Were they allowed to leave their home without their Alpha? Such a notion seemed beyond ridiculous to Shiro, but then, so did the idea of an Omega being allowed to maintain eye contact with an Alpha. 

“Why don’t you inform us of your customs on Omegas, and then we can pick out the differences?” Allura suggested. Shiro didn’t miss the very deliberate use of the words ‘us’ and ‘we’, conveying her clear displeasure at her Omega being left out of the conversation. 

“Well, for starters, as you found out earlier, Omegas aren’t allowed to make eye contact with Alphas, not without express permission,” Shiro began, noting the way both Allura and Lance furrowed their brows. “Omegas typically get raised by the Program, with a few rare exceptions, and, once they’re of age, get matched with Alphas of good breeding in order to keep bloodlines strong.”

“Waitwaitwait-” Lance exclaimed, the first time Shiro had heard him speak. “So- Galran Omegas don’t even get to  _ choose _ their Alphas?” 

Shiro cocked his head. “Of course not. The Program matches pairs who have the best chance of breeding strong soldiers. Alphas can, of course, be unhappy with their choice and request a different Omega, but the Program does the choosing.” 

“That’s so stupid!” Allura elbowed him, and Lance scowled. 

“Lance, don’t be rude,” She scolded. “Every race has their own unique customs.”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” Lance grumbled. 

Shiro just could not believe the amount of disrespect Allura was allowing her Omega to get away with. He was talking back to her, and she didn’t even acknowledge it! He suspected the lack of rigidity among Altean customs was a larger factor in their defeat than he’d first thought. Not that he said that, of course. The purpose of all this was to build a relationship, not insult them. 

He cleared his throat. “So, how does matchmaking occur on Altea, then?” He asked. 

“There isn’t really much…’matchmaking’,” Allura told him, setting down her drink. “On Altea, Omegas have a mostly equal standing with Alphas, with a few exceptions. An Omega is free to choose their Alpha just as much as an Alpha is free to choose their Omega. It’s a partnership.” 

“That’s...fascinating,” Shiro settled on, taking a moment to mull the concept over. Alphas and Omegas...on equal ground? The mere idea of it felt ludicrous. “Among the Galra, Omegas are lower class citizens. They mostly remain in the home and care for the Alpha’s pups.” 

“...Omegas aren’t even allowed to go outside?” Lance asked with disbelief. 

“Not without their Alpha, no.”

“That...that sounds awful. I don’t know what I’d do if I was confined to our rooms in the castle all the time.” Shiro watched Lance shudder at the thought, and Allura took her Omegas hand. 

“I must say, that does sound...well, if I’m being perfectly honest, Shiro, it sounds a very dull way to live out one’s life.” They made eye contact, and Shiro shrugged. 

“They’re Omegas, it's just...what they do. They’re not useful for anything else, so why would they do anything else?” He stated, and Lance jerked, opening his mouth and closing it again. Clearly this Omega’s temper was short.

_ He’s a lot like Keith, _ Shiro noted. 

Allura poured herself another glass, and drank half of it in one go. Shiro smiled in amusement as he finished off his own drink. “What are the standard rules for Omegas?” He asked. “For us, the standard expectations are that the Omega obeys their Alpha, regardless of the order. In the home, they’re expected to cook and clean, and, on the rare occasion their Alpha takes them somewhere, they have to keep their eyes down, not speak unless spoken to, and take up as little space as possible.” 

Both Lance and Allura were completely silent for half a dobosh, before Allura spoke up. “That...that is very different from what we do,” she said, glancing at Lance, who had gone incredibly pale. “For the- for the most part, Omegas are usually homemakers, but that comes down to their own personal preference, rather than expectation. As for the rules in public, well...while it is generally considered  _ polite _ for an Omega to wait until they’re spoken to, it- it isn’t  _ enforced. _ ”

Shiro considered this for a moment. “Omegas can choose not to be homemakers? What do they do, then?” 

“Well, it depends on the Omega, and their Alpha,” She replied, still looking rather disturbed. 

“Huh.” Shiro couldn’t really wrap his head around it, but he did at least try. After that, the conversation shifted to a much less heavy topic, and Shiro stayed for almost another varga before realising how late it had gotten. 

“I better head back to my quarters,” he eventually announced, getting to his feet. “Thanks for inviting me in, I enjoyed your company.”

“Perhaps we can do it again another time,” Allura suggested, walking him to the door. 

“I certainly hope so. Until next time, Allura. Vrepit Sa.” 

“...Vrepit Sa.” Allura closed the door, and Shiro sighed, heading back to his own quarters. After such a long day, he couldn’t wait to curl up with Keith and fall asleep.

Keith scrambled frantically around the kitchen as smoke billowed from the cooker, desperately trying to find something to smother the flame inside with. Everything was going wrong! First he’d mistaken one of the ingredients he needed and had to start over, then his hand had slipped and he’d dropped a glass tray, and now Shiro’s dinner was not just burning, but  _ on fire _ in the cooker! 

His fingers fumbled with the switch to turn on the vents, and he let out a ragged breath of relief when they turned on and began filtering the smoke out of the kitchen, but that still didn’t solve the problem of the fire! He couldn’t find an extinguisher! He checked every wall, every cupboard, but he just couldn’t-

There! What in the universe was a fire extinguisher doing in the bathroom!? He didn’t have time to dwell on it, though, racing back out to the kitchen and opening the cooker, yelping when the handle burned his palm. He stepped back, pulled out the pin, and let loose the foam into the oven until the flame died. When he was satisfied that it was out completely, Keith dropped the extinguisher and collapsed to his knees, shaking.

“I messed up so bad,” he lamented, panicked tears pricking in his eyes. “I’m gonna be in so much trouble.”

His body trembled as he began to spiral, first into despair that he’d ruined everything, then into anger that nothing ever went right.

“Why did this have to happen!?” He cried, getting to his feet and slamming his fists down onto the bench. “I just- I just wanted to do one thing right, and I fucked it up!”

He looked to the table, where he’d already set out plates and cutlery, and let out a guttural cry, sweeping his arm across the table and sending them flying. They hit the wall and smashed into pieces, and Keith’s rage only grew. He screamed, picking up every item he’d scattered across the bench and flinging it into the wall, his breathing turning ragged as the items shattered one by one. 

“ _ Dammit!”  _ Keith lost all control of himself, his eyes seeing red as he turned the kitchen upside down, littering the floor with broken glass and ceramic. He didn’t care when his bare feet walked over it all, relishing in the pain as the shards cut into his feet. When there was nothing left to destroy, Keith stared at the mess he’d made, the anger slowly draining.

Once it was gone, Keith had a moment of clarity, and the breath was knocked out of him when he realised what he’d done. 

“Oh, fuck, oh fuck oh fuck oh  _ fuck!”  _

Keith once again dropped to his knees, frantic tears running down his face as he tried uselessly to salvage something,  _ anything _ , but there was nothing. He’d completely destroyed everything in the kitchen, and as he looked around, eyes wide with panic, he realised that at some point he must have punched the tiling on the walls, because several of the panels were cracked or shattered. 

“Oh god, what have I done?” Keith couldn’t breathe. He pressed himself into a corner, blindly pushing the glass away from him as he curled up into a ball, his tail curled tightly around his leg. His breath hitched with sobs. Shiro was going to  _ kill  _ him-

The door to their quarters opened, and Shiro called out to him. Keith just sobbed, burying his face against his knees and gripping his hair. 

Shiro was going to kill him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, folks, as we board the angst train once more
> 
> Chapter warnings for abuse, violence, dehumanisation, whipping, non-consensual touching, forced orgasm, afab terms

When Shiro opened his door to the muted sound of Keith’s sobbing, he had immediately been filled with concern. He closed the door and rushed into the kitchen-

And froze.

The kitchen was a _disaster!_ Shattered plates, bowls and cups were _everywhere,_ glass strewn across the floor. The walls had been cracked, the tiling broken, and the door to the cooker had been smashed and _what was that burning smell?_ The entire room had been completely torn apart.

Shiro slowly looked around, surveying all the damage that had been done, until his eyes finally settled on Keith’s huddled form in the corner. He saw red.

“Keith,” he growled, and the Omega flinched, continuing to sob. “What the fuck did you do?” Keith curled up tighter, and Shiro’s anger exploded. “You useless, ungrateful _bitch!_ ” He roared. Glass crunched beneath his boots as he stalked over to Keith, the Omega’s body jerking at every footfall, until Shiro was upon him. He snatched up a fistful of his hair and yanked him upright. 

“Al-Alpha, please,” Keith yowled. “I’m sorry!” 

“You’re _sorry?_ ” Shiro threw him like a ragdoll across the kitchen, sending him crashing into the wall. Keith cried out in pain, dropping to the floor in a heap. Shiro picked him up again, slamming him against the wall. “I’m gone for _one quintant,_ and you _DESTROY MY HOME!”_

Keith cowered, struggling to breathe as Shiro wrapped his massive hand around the Omega’s tiny neck and _squeezed._ “AFTER ALL THE PROGRESS WE’VE MADE? AFTER I HAVE BEEN _NOTHING_ BUT PATIENT WITH YOU, _THIS_ IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?” 

Shiro struck him across the face so hard even _his_ hand stung, and Keith stumbled sideways with a cry. The Omega tried to duck past him, but Shiro grabbed him by the tail and yanked him back, and Keith howled in pain. He dragged Keith by the tail to the nearest set of shackles, cuffing Keith’s wrists tightly together and shoving him face first into the wall, securing his wrists above his head to the ring. Keith struggled, screaming out apologies, but Shiro wasn’t interested. He stalked over to his closet, to the collection of items the Program had recommended he purchase, and he pulled out a whip.

His Omega wailed in despair when he saw what Shiro held, tears streaming down his face. His shoulders shook with sobs as his tail pinned itself between his legs. 

“No, no, Alpha, don’t do this,” He pleaded, his voice breaking. “Please, I’m sorry!”

Shiro’s anger wavered slightly. Keith’s face was bruised and bloody, his eyes wide with terror. Shiro realised with an ache he didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want to go through with this. Just seeing Keith hurt like this pained him, made him want to sweep the Omega into his arms and hold him close. It went against his nature, it felt _wrong_.

But he had to. If he backed down now, that would just encourage this sort of unacceptable behaviour. He had to stamp it out, right now. Failing to punish him now would only result in further pain down the road. Shiro had to punish Keith to protect him. Taking a breath, Shiro steeled his resolve. 

“You’re going to count each strike,” He told Keith, keeping his voice cold and detached. “If you don’t, the count starts again. Do you understand?” 

Keith mewled, and Shiro had to fight himself not to stroke his ears until they perked again. His Omega was utterly terrified, but he couldn’t forget that it was his own fault. “Ye- yes, Alpha,” he managed, squeezing his eyes shut and resting his forehead against the wall, seeming resigned to his punishment. 

Wordlessly, Shiro unzipped Keith’s bodysuit, letting it drop to his ankles to expose his back. Unable to resist, he ran a hand soothingly down the expanse of Keith’s back, feeling the Omega tremble against his touch as he surveyed the various scars that littered his body beneath the short coat of fur. Where there were scars, the fur had grown back even paler, though he had to really look for them to see. Though it was discouraged by the Program, Shiro wanted to learn where each scar came from, wanted to know what Keith had done to earn them...

He pulled his hand away, retreating back several steps. _I don’t want to do this. ...I have to do this._ Shiro raised the whip, and struck. 

Pain arced across his back, and Keith let out a pained cry, his shoulders pulling up to his ears as he sobbed out “One!” His mind had gone blank the moment the whip had hit him, and all he could think about was the pain.

_Crack._

“Ah! T-two!” 

Shiro was holding back. Keith could tell. He’d been whipped before, and while this was incredibly painful, it was nowhere near as agonising as it had been last time…

_Crack!_

He bit his lip to stifle a scream. “Three,” he forced out, already starting to lose focus. His head swum from the force of the blows he’d received earlier, and each strike to his back sent him reeling, struggling to pull his scrambled thoughts back together. He couldn’t lose count. He didn’t even know what he was counting up to. He’d made that mistake once before, giving into the haze of pain at ninety-nine only to discover he’d only had one more count left to go… 

The pain of his present continued, and, somehow, Keith managed to hold himself together enough to bite out each count until finally, mercifully, Shiro stopped at thirty. Keith held himself braced for impact until he heard Shiro set the whip down, and tell him he was done. His knees gave out beneath him and he whined as his wrists took the brunt of his weight. Not for long, thankfully, as Shiro carefully unshackled him, letting Keith collapse against his broad chest. 

Keith blinked, and suddenly he was face down on the bed, Shiro tracing his fingers lightly down Keith’s back. He moaned in pain at the touch, though the whip had only cut into him a few times. 

“Sshh, it’s over now,” Shiro cooed from somewhere above him. “You took your punishment so well, Omega, I’m proud of you.” 

Despite everything, Keith keened at the praise, letting the words wrap around him like a warm blanket. 

“That’s it, Keith, just relax…” 

Suddenly, Shiro’s lips were mouthing at Keith’s neck through the chain, and just like that, the blanket was ripped away from him, and Keith let out a small sob. 

“Hush, Omega, it’s okay, I’m going to make you feel good,” Shiro murmured against his skin, and a shudder ran down Keith’s spine as more tears pooled in his eyes. He wasn’t ready! He’d been so afraid this would happen, but still, he’d held out hope that Shiro wouldn’t touch him, wouldn’t mount him, God why did it have to be tonight-

The base of his tail was pried away from his legs with a gentle hand, and Keith whimpered as Shiro tucked the end under Keith’s belly, holding it still and out of the way. He jumped as his cheeks were pulled apart, and he braced himself for Shiro’s cock. He yelped as two cold, wet fingers pressed against his hole, coaxing him open, and Shiro cooed at him. 

“You don’t need to be afraid,” he whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to Keith’s neck before pulling back, slowly rocking his fingers in and out of Keith’s ass. Keith trembled beneath him, crying softly as Shiro slowly began to push deeper, his other hand curling under Keith’s waist to palm at his cocklet. 

Keith wailed at the touch as the organ began to respond, twitching against Shiro’s palm as his fingers curled inside Keith, brushing against his prostate. He let out an unwitting moan, no longer able to deny the pleasure coiling in his gut as he began to pant, slick dribbling from his throbbing cunt and sliding down his thighs. 

“Alph-a!” He gasped, and Shiro added a third finger, burying them deep, hitting that spot over and over again, simultaneously stroking Keith’s cock. It was maddening, stars dancing in Keith’s eyes as he gave in, no longer possessing the energy to fight against it. He could feel his orgasm building, the pressure between his legs almost painful. 

He let out a sob as he rocked against Shiro’s hand, his Alpha driving those large fingers relentlessly against his prostate until-

Keith came with a shout, moaning brokenly as Shiro worked him through his orgasm. When it was over, Shiro pulled his fingers out with a wet squelch, and Keith heard him unzip his pants. He tuned out the sounds of Shiro moaning his name as he finished himself off, closing his eyes and falling into blissful unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have very little experience with sex so my deepest apologies if that sucked ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another flashback to Keith's time with Sendak! This is definitely the most graphic chapter so far, so proceed with caution
> 
> Chapter warnings: dehumanisation, violence, torture mention, degredation, graphic rape, afab terms.

Keith learned quickly that even off the battlefield, Sendak was ruthless. After the Commander had carved up Keith’s torso to his satisfaction, he dropped him unceremoniously to the ground, striding over to one of the lounge chairs and sitting down with his legs spread wide, taking up as much space as possible. Keith had seen these kinds of Alpha displays before, but he’d been on blockers, and suppressants, then. This time, there was nothing to keep him from shrinking back, subconsciously making himself smaller in response. 

He was in a lot of pain, though he’d had worse. It felt worse than it looked, large, long slices littering his torso - not deep enough to be dangerous, but enough to cause the pain Sendak aimed to inflict. Unwilling to give Sendak the satisfaction of thinking he’d beaten Keith, the Omega forced himself back up off the floor onto his knees, making a concentrated effort to suppress his trembling. He breathed in slow, then winced as a cut across his chest flared in pain.  _ Shallow breaths it is, then _ . 

Neither of them spoke, the silence dragging on, suffocating. Normally, Keith found comfort in silence, a welcome reprieve from the noise and chaos of his work in the Blades. Right now, however, the silence between them felt dangerous. Keith brushed the tuft of his tail across the small of his back in an effort to ground himself, giving him something to feel other than the sharp throbbing of his wounds; warm blood trailing down his fur in dark streaks. 

“You’ve made quite the mess there, Omega,” Sendak sneered, like it was Keith’s fault, directing his attention to the small puddles of blood that had collected on the floor beneath him. “Clean it up.”

_ I’m not your slave!  _ Keith bit back the words he wanted to scream, knowing they would get him nowhere. His tail thumped frustratedly against the floor. “My hands are still bound,” he reminded Sendak pointedly. Sendak’s grin sharpened. 

“Who said anything about using your hands?” He purred. 

Keith’s eyes narrowed. “What else am I supposed to use?”

Sendak leaned forward. “Your mouth.”

Keith’s face scrunched in disgust, his lip curling. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” He absolutely refused to debase himself that deeply, to let Sendak bully him into being a  _ mop _ . 

Sendak’s brow rose, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. “You, rebel, are going to lick up every drop of blood you spilled onto my floor,” he said menacingly. “Or I am going to destroy you so badly you’ll wish you were never born, and then make you do it anyway.”

Keith let out a huff, levelling his gaze at Sendak’s shoulders as he weighed his options. Option one involved willingly humiliating and debasing himself, and, by extension, the Blade as an organisation, in order to save himself some pain. Option two involved being tortured again. It wasn’t a very difficult choice to make. 

Keith looked Sendak right in the eyes, and spat on the floor.

It didn’t garner the reaction he’d expected. Instead of getting angry, Sendak erupted into laughter, throwing his head back like Keith had just told the funniest joke in the universe. His laughter didn’t stop as he got to his feet and advanced upon Keith, fisting a hand into his hair and grinning viciously. 

“You know, you Blades are so  _ predictable _ .” He yanked Keith around as he hissed the word out, bending Keith over and forcing his head down to the floor with a swiftness that sent Keith’s thoughts spinning. Keith’s nostrils flared. This close, it was he could smell the heady scent of Sendak’s arousal, and his stomach dropped as he realised his mistake.

He snarled, struggling against the hold, twisting as he tried to sink his fangs into Sendak’s arm as he kicked out. A blow to the back of his head sent him reeling, and his struggles stopped for a moment as he regained his senses. Sendak took advantage of his dazedness, forcing his knees between Keith’s legs and pushing them apart. 

The action renewed Keith’s struggles, a chilling horror settling into him as he bucked and jerked, desperate not to be trapped in this position. “No!” He screamed, the sheer weight of Sendak’s gigantesque body pressed over his own holding him down with little effort. The compromising position made it almost impossible to breathe, and Sendak took advantage of it, staying pressed against him until Keith wore himself out, his struggles becoming weaker. Then he rose slightly, just enough to get one of his large hands under his chest and against Keith’s back, pushing him down, down, until his chest was near flat against the hard floor, his head forced painfully to the side. 

With Keith effectively contained beneath the unyielding force of his hand, Sendak sat up, using his other hand to free himself of his pants, and then his underwear, freeing his massive cock. Keith let out a pitiful noise at the sight of it, unable to pull his eyes away. Sendak was already hard and leaking, and all Keith could think was,  _ it’s going to split me in half.  _

He yawped as his tail was pried none too gently away from his ass, pulled up over his back and forced beneath Sendak’s hand, the tuft at the end wedged and squeezed painfully between his thick fingers. 

“Don’t! Sendak-” A finger pushing between his folds made him jerk, and he squeaked fearfully. 

“What a pity that you’re so dry,” Sendak lamented mockingly, stroking and teasing his inner lips. He slipped a finger tip into Keith’s opening. “But I’ll fix that.”

Keith whined, panting for breath as he tried to convince himself that this wasn’t happening. Tears pooled in his eyes as Sendak toyed with his cunt, and Keith wanted to die at the steadying increase of slick that eased the way for Sendak’s fingers to push deeper. 

“What a beautiful, little cunt, all wet and waiting for me,” Sendak growled, pulling his fingers out to play with Keith’s clit, and Keith let out an anguished cry as a bolt of pleasure shot through him at the touch. Even his cocklet was responding to the unwanted stimulation, hardening against the dip of his stomach. “You’re loving this, aren’t you, you filthy slut. You play hard to get but your body is practically  _ begging  _ for my Alpha cock.” 

“ _ No _ ,” Keith protested, his voice coming out as a high whine. “I don’t- don’t - want this!”

Another two fingers shoved back in, and Keith cried out. “Such a tight little hole, bet you haven’t taken a cock yet, have you?” Keith whimpered, clenching in a futile attempt to force Sendak’s digits out of him. He received a sharp slap to the ass, Sendak growling menacingly above him. “ _ Have you? _ ” He barked again. He slapped Keith’s ass again. 

“N-no!” Keith cried, terrified out of his mind. 

Sendak trailed two wet fingers down Keith’s spine, causing him to shudder. “Good Omega,” He crooned, adjusting Keith’s hips. He felt the head of Sendak’s cock press against his entrance, and before he had a chance to plead, Sendak was forcing his way in. 

Keith let out a gut wrenching scream as Sendak split him open, bottoming out in one agonising motion. His vision went white from the pain. Sendak let out a low noise above him as he stilled. 

“Fuck, such a perfect little cocksleeve,” the Alpha groaned, giving a small thrust of his hips. Even just that small movement caused Keith to cry out again. The sound of it seemed to spur Sendak on, and he thrusted his hips again, harder this time, and Keith felt as if he was being torn apart from the inside out. 

Sendak set a brutal pace, fucking into him like it was the last thing he’d ever do. Agonised tears streamed down Keith’s face, his small body jerking with each thrust. Never in his life had he felt a pain like this. It felt like Sendak was going to kill him. 

Part of Keith hoped it did. 

Sendak made a filthy moan above him, and the hand pressing down on Keith’s back disappeared, only for both to grip his hips with bruising force. Sendak pulled Keith’s hips back against each merciless thrust, burying his cock deeper. Keith’s walls spasmed around him, and suddenly Sendak was thrusting impossibly faster. His cock swelled and Keith sobbed as he felt Sendak’s knot expand.

“You ready to take your first knot, slut?” Sendak grunted, his claws digging into Keith’s flesh as he neared his climax. “I’m gonna fill you up nice and full.” Keith whimpered in response and Sendak shouted. Keith felt sick as Sendak ejaculated in him, hot seed gushing into him. 

_ At least it's over,  _ he thought miserably.

With Sendak finally still above him, Keith’s vision slowly cleared. The Alpha’s head was thrown back in ecstasy, his eyes lidded as he rode out the high. Keith looked back down to the floor, wishing he could burn the image from his memory, along with this entire experience. 

It took almost half a varga for Sendak’s knot to go down. Keith moaned in relief when he finally pulled out, his face cringing at the wet squelch. Sendak swiped two fingers over Keith’s abused hole, ignoring his yelp as he shoved those fingers into Keith’s unexpecting mouth. Keith gagged and tried to pull back, but suddenly there was a hand on his head, holding him still. 

“Suck,” Sendak commanded, and Keith was too exhausted to resist. His face scrunched in disgust, he sucked on the fingers, forcing himself to swallow the nauseating combination of Sendak’s come and his own blood. A full body shudder went through him as he swallowed, and Sendak pulled his fingers out with a satisfied smirk. 

The Alpha got to his feet, making Keith feel like a squashed ant beneath him. 

“Get up, and clean up this mess.” Keith blinked sluggishly up at him, and Sendak narrowed his eyes. Keith suppressed a shudder as he recalled the task he’d refused, averting his eyes as he struggled to pull his still trembling body up off the floor without the use of his arms. Somehow, he managed it, and he surveyed the floor with trepidation as he realised that he was going to have to swallow down even more of the blood and come mixture Sendak had forced down his throat. 

He twisted his body awkwardly, and bent down to lap it up. He retched, commanding every ounce of self control he could muster to stop himself from throwing up. He could feel Sendak’s eyes burning a hole into his back as he licked the floor clean, having to push through the cramps in his tail in order to keep himself balanced. 

He suffered silently, shuffling from stain to stain and licking all of it clean and doing so as quickly as he could manage in his exhaustion. When he was done, a heavy hand set on his shoulder, and Keith looked up, taking in Sendak’s expression for less than a tick before fixing his eyes on the Alpha’s shoulder. 

The intent of the lesson was clear, and Keith would not need reminding anytime soon. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, and with the longest chapter yet lol. Finally managed to break 2000 words. it probably wont happen again lol bc my attention span is too short :\ 
> 
> Chapter warning for sexual assault mention, and both boys let out some feelings.

After Keith’s punishment, there were no more incidents of misbehaviour from Shiro’s Omega. Shiro was pleased - the punishment had been effective, and every quintant since Shiro had come home to his quarters absolutely spotless, and a hot meal ready and waiting for him. Shiro made sure to praise Keith every time, wanting to reinforce and reward the good behaviour. 

He was a little concerned, though, that perhaps he’d taken the punishment just a little too far. Despite his good behaviour, Keith came out of the punishment sullen, and distrusting. He never pulled away when Shiro touched him, but he would flinch, or tense up, and would remain so until Shiro let him go. It was...disheartening, for Shiro. To know that he may have done irreparable damage to their bond. He loved Keith, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Keith by his side, his one and only Omega. 

Shiro ran a hand down his face, and sighed. His ears twitched as his mind came back into focus, registering the cacophony of sounds surrounding him. He shouldn’t be worrying about this, especially not while he was on duty. Keith was an Omega - he’d get over it. It was his nature. 

Despite his confidence that Keith would move past it eventually, Shiro spent the rest of his shift distracted, his Omega plaguing the back of his mind. An unpleasant feeling coiled in his gut every time he remembered the look on Keith’s face as he’d whipped him. The fear and betrayal that had shone in his eyes. Shiro had felt so horrible by the time it ended, and all he wanted to do was make Keith feel better - distract him from the pain of his punishment. 

It had been so hot, watching Keith writhe in pleasure beneath him. He’d barely been able to stop himself from just mounting the Omega right there and then. Somehow, though, he’d managed to restrain himself until Keith came. It had been absolute bliss, imagining how Keith would feel around his cock instead of just his fingers. It didn’t take long for him to finish in his hand, groaning in pleasure before collapsing down beside Keith and pulling him close. Waking up the next morning and getting out of bed had been a struggle, unsurprisingly. He’d had to drag himself out from beneath the blankets and away from the warmth of his still sleeping Omega.

Shiro got so lost in thought that he didn’t notice he was being addressed until his lieutenant was snapping her fingers in front of his face, causing him to jerk in his seat.

“Commander Shirogane? You alive in there?” Baltagh asked, one eyebrow raised. 

Shiro sighed. “Apologies, Lieutenant. I’m fine. What did you need?” He wasn’t really fine - he was far too distracted - but he had to keep up appearances. He couldn’t let anyone see through him. 

“Two things, actually.” She pulled up her holo-pad. “Firstly, I need you to sign off on my report of the mission in Arus.” She handed Shiro the pad, and Shiro scanned through the report  _ probably  _ a little too quickly, before signing it and handing it back to her. 

“Secondly, your shift ended fifteen doboshes ago.” 

Shiro blinked rapidly, squinting at the ticker on his wrist. She was, as it seemed, correct. The time had gone by much quicker than he’d realised. 

“Ah, so it did. Thank you, Baltagh.” 

She inclined her head, the corner of her lip pulling into a sly smile. “Something got you distracted, boss?” She asked, voice low enough that only he could hear, and Shiro grimaced slightly. 

“Am I that obvious?” He asked, already heading out of the main bridge and letting her fall into step beside him. 

“‘Fraid so, Commander. If you don’t mind my asking, what’s going on with you? I’ve never seen you like this.” Shiro looked at her, noticing how, despite the lightness of her tone, her brows were pinched with concern. He took a moment to decide how much he should say to her. He couldn’t just hand out every detail of his personal life, not without jeopardising the strictly professional relationship he held with the members of his crew. At the same time, though, Baltagh was his most trusted officer, and she was clearly concerned for his well being, which Shiro could not fault her for.

“My Omega is...a cause of concern for me, at the moment,” he told her. “He doesn’t respond or behave the way all the research I’ve done says he should be.” A look of understanding settled over her face, and Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. He continued before she could pry further. “I’m handling it, though. Thank you for your concern.”

She smiled at him. “Not a problem, Commander.” 

They continued to walk in comfortable silence until they reached Baltagh’s quarters. They saluted to each other, and she stepped inside. Once her door closed, Shiro headed back they way they’d come, traversing the long hallways of the cruiser until he reached his own door. 

He stepped inside and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment and letting the scent of his Omega soothe him of the day’s stresses - the smell of _Keith_ wrapping around him like a warm cloak. Habitually, he went to the bedroom first, stripping himself of his armour and re-dressing into more comfortable clothing, before heading into the kitchen and sitting down at the dining table, eyes immediately locking onto Keith. 

The Omega jumped and whirled around to face him, startled by the scrape of Shiro’s chair as he sat down, and Shiro began to suspect he wasn’t the only one zoning out today. “Easy, Keith, it’s just me,” he assured him, keeping his voice low and gentle. Keith’s shoulders relaxed somewhat, but not as much as Shiro would have liked. 

Dinner was served, and Shiro took a bite before giving Keith permission to do the same. It was a silent affair, with Shiro pausing every now and then to pet Keith’s ears. Each time his touch was met with stiffness, and Shiro had to repress the urge to sigh. How long was Keith going to behave like this?

After they’d both eaten, Shiro guided Keith into the bathroom. He desperately wanted a bath, despite not having done much physical work today. He pulled off his clothes, dropping them on the floor, and then helped Keith out of his bodysuit, grimacing at the flinch when he accidentally touched a tender spot on Keith’s back. He was healing just fine, and Shiro hadn’t done any lasting damage, but his poor Omega was still feeling the aftereffects of his punishment. He felt a pang of guilt again, hating that his Omega was still in pain. 

Once the bodysuit was off, Keith’s tail curled upwards, brushing the tuft of fur at the end back and forth across the small of his back as he moved to fill the bathtub. Shiro couldn’t help but admire him while he waited - his Omega was just so pretty. If Shiro were a lesser Alpha, Keith would’ve driven him wild by now. 

When the bath was ready, Shiro sank into the water with a groan, resting his head against the bath cushion and closing his eyes. He shivered when he felt the soft touch of his washcloth begin to glide across his shoulder, smiling slightly. Keith’s hands were so light when he washed his Alpha, so unlike when he was having one of his off moments and throwing those tantrums. Though, Shiro had to admit - if just to himself - that those instances made him cherish moments like this all the more. 

When Keith finished, Shiro sat up in the bath, feeling much more relaxed than he had beforehand. With a fond smile, he took the washcloth from Keith’s hand, and gently pressed it to Keith’s own body, lathering the soap through the Omega’s fur in slow, soothing motions. In spite of that, Keith still tensed under his touch, forcing Shiro’s smile down. He continued on for a dobosh, trying to ignore it, before sighing, and setting the washcloth down. 

Keith’s eyes flicked up to him in confusion, and Shiro cupped his little Omega’s face in both hands. The minute jerk of fear in his grip pulled at Shiro’s heartstrings. 

“...Keith,” he murmured, brushing a thumb lightly across his cheek. “What’s-...tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong, Alpha,” Keith responded lightly, not meeting Shiro’s eyes. The Alpha only fretted further at the blatant lie, his fingertips pressing tighter against Keith’s cheeks for a moment before he forced himself to relax. 

“Keith,” he intoned, gentle but firm. “Tell me the truth. You haven’t been yourself, and I’m wor- I am concerned.” 

“I’m  _ fine _ ,” Keith insisted stubbornly, but Shiro could see tears gathering in his eyes. He moved one hand to the back of Keith’s head, and began gently stroking his hair. “I’m f _ ine! _ ” Keith’s voice warbled, and Shiro’s heart  _ ached  _ as he began to tremble. Gently, oh so gently, Shiro pulled Keith against his chest, wrapping his arms around the back of Keith’s shoulders where he knew he wouldn’t hurt him. 

“I’m sorry,” he finally whispered, shocking them both. “I went too far. The punishment was too much-” 

Keith abruptly jerked out of Shiro’s embrace, backing up to the opposite end of the bath. Before Shiro could even react, Keith let out an anguished cry that broke his heart in two.

“It wasn’t  _ that! _ ” He cried, his tail hitting the surface of the water so hard it splashed them both. “It wasn’t-...” Shiro watched as tears began to slide slowly down Keith’s cheeks as he finally released a movement’s worth of repressed emotion. The Omega wiped at the aggressively when he realised he was crying, making a frustrated noise. “It wasn’t the punishment,” he finally managed.

“...if not that...what has you so upset?” Shiro asked quietly, not understanding. He couldn’t recall anything else that would have evoked such behaviour out of his Omega. 

“ _ It was what came after! _ ” Keith shouted, looking absolutely devastated. “It’s what you did to me after!” 

Shiro was taken aback as Keith’s shoulders shook with repressed sobs. “What…? Keith, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” 

His Omega let out a ragged, humourless laugh. “Of course you don’t,” He spat without conviction, seemingly drained of all his energy. “I thought- I thought I could  _ trust  _ you! I thought- after all this time without you even - I was so  _ stupid  _ to let myself think you were different!” Keith was outright sobbing now. Shiro made a move to come closer, to comfort him, but Keith’s flinch told him it was better to stay back. 

“...Keith, I need you to tell me what I did,” he pleaded softly, desperate to know what he’d done to hurt his Omega like this. “I need to know what I did to hurt you, so I can’t do it again.” 

Keith looked up at him, making no move to wipe away the fresh tears streaking down his face. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, seeming to struggle with what to say. “You- you  _ touched  _ me,” he eventually managed, his arms pulling up. In a display of vulnerability Shiro had not expected from his Omega, usually so feisty and brazen...Keith hugged himself. “You- I didn’t  _ want it _ , but you- you didn’t…” He let out a soft sob. “I didn’t want it…”

For a moment, the silence between them was deafening. 

And then it was like a lightswitch turned on in Shiro’s head, and he understood. 

He put his head in his hands, his eyes stinging. Keith’s words echoed in his head as images of directly after Keith’s punishment replayed in his mind. Memories of him setting Keith down on the bed, of working him open and getting him off. He felt like he’d taken a blaster to the chest. He had been so caught up in his desperation to make Keith feel better, that he hadn’t even considered that  _ Keith didn’t want that.  _

_ Shiro had forced him.  _

Slowly, Shiro raised his head to look at his Omega, letting the shame he felt show on his face. He knew that from Keith’s perspective, no apology could make up for this violation of trust, but still, he had to do something. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again. “I never meant to- to hurt you. I was trying to make you feel  _ better, _ but… That is no excuse.” He sat up straight, drawing in a slow breath. “I will not repeat my mistake. I promise, from this moment on, I will not initiate any kind of sexual behaviour.” 

Keith’s eyes widened, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “Wait...really?” He asked, his voice painfully quiet. Shiro nodded. 

“Really...when you’re ready, you can come to me,” he told him softly. A fresh wave of tears rolled down Keith’s cheeks, and suddenly the little Omega had his arms wrapped around Shiro’s waist, hugging him tightly. Shiro melted into the embrace, closing his eyes and curling around him. 

They stayed like that for a long time while Keith cried himself out. Neither of them made any move to pull away from each other, until the bathwater went cold, and Shiro carefully eased Keith out before he could catch a chill. They dried off and redressed, then headed to bed, Shiro insisting that tonight’s dishes could be done tomorrow. He knew he’d made the right decision when, as soon as they were under the blankets, Keith curled against him, burying his face against Shiro’s chest. Shiro held him close in return. 

They fell asleep that way, curled into each other, and didn’t let go.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck-a-doodle I'm back y'all
> 
> Content warnings for typical power imbalance between alphas and omegas, use of AFAB terms, (surprisingly!) consensual sex, knotting

The following day, Shiro sought out Princess Allura the moment his shift ended. He had to wait a while for her meeting with several visiting Generals to finish, but once that was over, he called her over, her Omega close behind her. 

“Why hello, Commander Shirogane,” She greeted. “What can I do for you?”

Shiro kept his voice low. “I would like to request a...private, meeting. With you and your Omega.”

Both Alteans blinked. Shiro looked at Allura earnestly, and she nodded.

“Of course, Commander,” She said, turning and heading towards her quarters. Once they were inside, Allura invited him to sit down in the lounge area, and he took a seat. Allura and Lance sat opposite him. 

“So, Shiro, what did you want to discuss?” She asked. 

Shiro sighed. “It’s- I was wondering if the two of you would be willing to discuss your Omega customs with me again,” he requested. Lance raised an eyebrow, seeming rather surprised. Allura, however, simply smiled at him. 

“Of course. What would you like to know?” She asked. 

“Well, I know we already spoke about the differences between our customs, but this time, I was wondering if you would perhaps delve into  _ why _ your customs are different.”

Allura made a face. “I’m- I’m not sure how to explain to you.” She told him. “We just...see Omegas as people, just like Alphas and Betas. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

Shiro deflated a little. Of course he viewed Omegas as  _ people, _ just not... _ equals.  _ The two weren’t mutually exclusive, at least, he didn’t think so. When Allura didn’t speak again, he prepared to say his goodbyes, but to his surprise, her Omega spoke up instead. 

“I think I know what you’re trying to ask, Commander Shirogane,” Lance said, his lively blue eyes meeting Shiro’s. “Let me ask you something. Why do Omegas have such a low standing in  _ your  _ culture?” 

He was somewhat taken aback by the question, having not expected it. He took a few moments to think about his response before he answered, “Well, they’re just...beneath us,” he began. “They’re not strong, they’re not intelligent, so they’re useless as soldiers. They only thing they can really do is birth pups and serve their Alphas.” 

Lance was very clearly frustrated at his answer, as was Allura, but he made no effort to refute it. Instead, he asked yet another question Shiro had not expected. “Would you mind telling me about  _ your  _ Omega?” 

He hesitated. “I...suppose,” he agreed. “Well, his name is Keith. He’s... he can be rather difficult, at times. He’s headstrong, and stubborn. He unlike anything Omegas are supposed to be. Of course, that’s likely caused by his upbringing in the Blades, so he was never taught how to follow his true nature, I guess.” 

Lance and Allura looked at each other for a moment, a silent conversation Shiro couldn’t interpret passing between them. 

“The Blades?” Allura prompted, and Shiro sighed again. When Keith had admitted to him, in the dead of night, that he’d once been a member of the  _ Blades of Marmora _ , Shiro had not taken it very well. He’d been angry, both at the Blades for putting an Omega in that kind of danger, and at Keith for keeping this from him. It had not been a pleasant night for either of them.

“The Blade of Marmora,” He clarified, his mind returning to the present. He did not bother to disguise the disdain in his voice. “They’re an organised group of rebel Galra, and they’ve been a significant thorn in the Empire’s side for thousands of deca-phoebs. Keith was born into them, and was raised to be a fighter. Even after he presented, they put him on suppressors and blockers, just to keep him in the fight. The whole thing has him really messed up.” 

“You said they raised him as a fighter?” Lance mentioned, leaning forward slightly.

“Yes, that is correct.”

Allura seemed to pick up on whatever her Omega was getting at, and continued it along, the two of them seemingly in sync with one another. “But you said Omegas are useless as fighters?”

Shiro’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “They are.”

Lance cocked his head slightly. “Then why would the Blade waste money and resources on Keith to keep him in the battlefield if he was a useless fighter?” 

Shiro frowned, mulling that over. Lance...Lance had a point. It didn’t make sense, now that he thought about it. Why would the Blades have gone to such effort to keep Keith in the fight? Surely he would have been far more useful breeding pups for their rebellion? 

Lance seemed to see where his thoughts landed. “He must have been a valuable warrior to them to go to so much trouble.” He pointed out. 

Shiro was silent for a long while. The Alpha and Omega across from him did not push any further, seemingly satisfied that they’d gotten their point across. 

Keith...Keith was an Omega. But...he was also a fighter. Those two sentences should not belong together. They were utterly contradictory. And yet both of them were fact. Keith was an Omega. But the Blade of Marmora had valued him as a warrior. Shiro knew that the Blade was not an organisation to waste resources. Shiro began to wonder if perhaps then, was there the possibility for other Omegas to be like Keith? Surely, if Keith was able to be valued as a warrior, statistically speaking he couldn’t be the only Omega in the universe to do so. Surely, if  _ one _ Omega could be strong, then more could be as well. 

Were the Empire’s values...wrong? 

Such a thought should be stamped out immediately, and yet, Shiro allowed himself to ponder. He’d been raised to believe Omegas were only capable of being homemakers, but Keith’s own past proved otherwise. 

Shiro stood up. “Thank you very much for discussing this with me,” he said to both of them. He met the Omega’s eyes. “Thank you, Lance. You’ve been a great help to me today.” 

Lance smiled at him. “Not a problem, Commander. Anytime.” 

Allura showed him out, extending an invitation for Shiro to come visit another time, which he accepted, and then Shiro left, walking quickly through the halls of the cruiser until he reached his quarters. The moment his door opened, his nostrils flared with the overwhelming scent of Keith’s distress and- anticipation? He found Keith pacing the kitchen, ears laid flat against his head. They perked upright when Shiro came into view, and Keith launched himself at him. 

“Woah, hey!” Shiro managed not to stumble, catching Keith in his arms. Keith buried his nose into Shiro’s neck, inhaling deeply, and the Alpha’s eyes went wide with surprise at such an open display of affection from his normally reserved Omega. “Keith, are you alright?” He asked. “What’s going on?”

Barely a moment passed and Keith pulled back, collecting himself, though his tail whipped around anxiously. “I- sorry, Alpha, it won’t happen again,” Keith averted, his head bowed. Shiro’s gaze filtered over his Omega’s tight shoulders, how he held his arms tense against his sides, the shallow rise and fall of his chest.

“Keith,” he breathed, slowly closing the distance between them and cupping his Omega’s face in his hands. He tilted Keith’s head up, and their eyes locked for a brief moment before those black eyes he loved so much dropped back down. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Keith let out a shuddering breath. “It’s nothing,” he tried, earning an unimpressed look. “I...after last night- you weren’t back when you normally are, and- andIthoughtyouweregoingtosendmeback.”

Shiro stood in shock for a moment. Then he leaned in slowly, pressing a soft kiss to Keith’s forehead. “I’m never going to send you back, Keith,” he murmured, their eyes meeting. Something new shone in his Omega’s eyes, and suddenly he was pulling away, his hands reaching around behind his back and struggling with the zipper of his bodysuit. 

“Keith?” Shiro wasn’t sure what was going on, his brows furrowing when Keith let out a frustrated huff. 

“Get this thing off me,” he growled, though there was no assumption of authority behind it. Shiro felt hot arousal pool in his groin, but he pushed it to the back of his mind, stepping forward and helping Keith out of it. Once it was off, Keith kicked it to the side and snatched Shiro’s hand, practically dragging him to the bedroom. Neither of them bothered to turn on the lights, so Shiro’s eyes took a tick to adjust, and when he did, he let out a low groan.

Keith had crawled up onto the bed, the distant light from the lounge room illuminating his lithe body. He was on his hands and knees, legs spread apart with his tail held high and to the side, presenting every inch of himself to his Alpha. Shiro’s pants were  _ far too tight. _

Keith looked over his shoulder, light dancing across his eyes, as he said: “I’m ready.”

Shiro had never shed his armour so quickly. His underclothes swiftly followed, discarded to the floor without so much as a second thought. He blinked and suddenly he was behind Keith, two fingers brushing across his warm, slick cunt. A delighted shudder ran through him when Keith pushed back against them, his fingertips slipping inside with ease. 

Keith let out a moan as Shiro pushed his fingers all the way in, rocking them slowly back and forth. The noise went straight to his cock.

“You like that, baby?” He breathed, and Keith nodded. Shiro struggled to restrain himself as he prepped Keith, adding a third, and soon a fourth finger, carefully stretching him open. By the time he was satisfied Keith was ready, the Omega was already panting beneath him. He pulled out his fingers, letting out a dark chuckle when Keith whined in response, his hips pushing back. “Patience,” he chided.

He set his hands on Keith’s hips, getting to his knees behind him and lining up his cock. Keith shuddered beneath him as he pressed the head of it against him, and that was all Shiro needed. He pushed forward slowly, easing himself in, both of them moaning at the feeling. 

“Fuck! Stars, you’re- so good!” He rumbled. “You take my cock so good!” He bottomed out in Keith, pausing for a few ticks just to relish in the sensation of it. His eagerness took over again quickly, and he rolled his hips back, then forward again.

“Alpha,” Keith sang, and Shiro lost all control of himself. He gripped Keith’s hips tightly, thrusting in and out relentlessly. His mind was empty of everything except pleasure, his Alpha instincts taking over, spurred on by every little noise Keith made. Every moan, every cry and whimper, drove him forward, chasing the orgasm he could feel rapidly building. 

He let out a rumbling growl when his knot finally popped, his claws digging into Keith’s skin. His Omega’s pushed back against him, and he changed his angle, searching, searching -

Keith wailed in ecstasy, his walls clenching tightly around Shiro’s cock as he came. Just a few more thrusts and Shiro followed, throwing his head back and letting out a carnal moan as he emptied his load into Keith, hips stuttering to a stop. He lifted his head back up to look at Keith; his Omega’s fur was shining with sweat, and his little chest heaved as he panted for breath. Shiro leaned forward, letting go of Keith’s hips to tilt his head to the side, exposing Keith’s neck. A full body shudder rippled through the Omega as Shiro’s teeth grazed over his skin. 

Shiro bit down.

Stars exploded behind his eyelids as the taste of  _ Keith _ filled his mouth, and he let out a groan as the universe seemed to shift. Warmth like he’d never known flooded through him as their bond settled, and all he could think was  _ Keith, _ over and over again.  _ He’s mine. Keith is mine.  _

They stayed like that for a few doboshes, Shiro reluctant to pull back and let go of Keith’s neck. Eventually, though, as the adrenaline waned, he realised how much his arms and thighs were trembling with the effort of holding himself up. His knot hadn’t gone down yet, so, carefully, Shiro laid down on his side, pulling Keith down with him so they were spooning. He noticed that Keith was shivering, and pulled the blankets over them. 

“Keith...my mate…” he whispered, tucking his nose against the back of Keith’s neck and breathing in deeply. Keith smelled of slowly dimming arousal, and, past that, contentment. He smiled joyfully against his mate’s - his  _ mate’s  _ \- neck, closing his eyes.

For perhaps the first time in Shiro’s life, everything was absolutely  _ perfect.  _


End file.
